Eichaed h



(No Model.)

R. H. TRESTED.

I METHOD OF MAKING HAT-S. No. 3 7,253. Patented July 26, 1887.

v akoha/vdv H.Tveetc,d/r

M ATTORNEYS UNIT STATES PATENT OFFIC RICHARD H. TRESTED, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

METHOD OF MAKING HATS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,253 dated July 26, 1887. Application filed October 21, 1886. Serial No. 516,.52. (No model.)

I?) all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD H. Tans'rnn, a'eitizen of the'United States, residing at J ersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented new andus'eful Improvements in Methods of Making Hats, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved method or process of making hatsin imitation of straw or other braid, for the use ofladies, gentlemen, and children.

To such end the invention consists in the. novel method hereinafter described, and definitcly set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a hat embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is asection of a portion thereof on' a larger scale'than the previous figure.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, the letter A designates the molded support, andB is the flexible ornamental shell. 7

In carrying out my invention I take a piece of woven fabric made from cotton or wool or any other substance suitable for the purposesuch as leather or paper-and this fabric I treat with a solution of shellac or any other suitable material to impart to thefabric the required stiffness. Of this stiffened fabric I cut a piece the size required for a hat and press the same into the desired shapeby means of suitable heated dies, in the same manner as usually done by the manufacturers of hat and bonnet frames. The article thus produced forms what I term the molded support of my hat. For the purpose of producing the flexible ornamental shell of my hat I proceed as follows: I take a 1nold,the inner surface of which is formed with suitable designs, lines, characters, or marks to correspond to'the ornaments to be'produced on the 'outer surface of the shell in imitation of straw or other braids, and into this mold I pour themolding-sirup or plastic composition while hot, allowing only that portion of the sirup or plastic composition which sticks to the inner surface of the mold to remain until it has cooled off, the re mainder of the sirup being poured out of the two or more thicknesses of muslin, or other mold after having remained therein for about five to ten minutes.

The molding-sirup or plastic composition which can be used for my purpose with advantage is prepared as follows: I take eight pounds of glue and allow it tosoak in water for five hours, then I pour off the water, then take the glue and melt it in a suitable kettle.

solid body I use a small quantity of pigment,

such as zinc-white, chrome-yellow, or amber.

I In order to impart to the mass a black color, I prepare a black paste by boiling three-quarters of a gallon of old linseed-oil to the consistency of a thick varnish, then adding to thesame While hot three pounds powdered resin and next three-quarter poundsdry brown-soap shavings, then mixing with the mass one and a quarter ounce paris blue'and two and a half pounds lampblack. After standing for a week this mass must be ground, when it is ready to be mixed with the molding-sirup above described in such proportion as may be required to produce a jet-black.

p I do not wish to confine myself to the molding-sirup as above described, since other compositions might be used, but by means of the molding sirup above described I have obtained satisfactory results. I

That portion of the molding sirup which adheres to theinnersurface of the mold, as above stated, after having cooled, can be readily re moved, and it forms a flexible shell, the external surface of which is ornamented in imitation of straw or-other braid. This flexible shell of plastic composition is drawn over the stiff molded support and made to stick thereon by any suitable adhesive, such as rubber cement. By these means a hat is obtained which is very light, not liable to crack or break, of superior durability,and to become hard. Furthermore, my hat can be furnished in any desired color, and its cost is very low.

I am aware that a hat or bonnet has hereto fore been made the body of which is made of suitable fabric, shaped or formed with a series of raised or embossed stripes, in imitation of straw or other braid,by means of suitable dies. I am also aware that a hat has been heretofore made by me of a stiff support; and a flexible sheet-metal facing having an embossed external surface. Such features, however, do not constitute my present invention, and are not herein claimed by me.

\Vhat- I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The method herein described of making hats, which consists in forming a flexible shell from a plastic composition in a mold, removing said shell from the mold and drawing it over a stiff support havingthe form of the hat desired, and cementing the internal surface of the plastic composition shell to the external surface of the st-iffsupport, substantially as set forth.

2. The method herein described of making hats, which consists in molding a flexible shell of plastic composition with an external surface,in imitation of straw or other braid, and

then drawing such flexible shell over a stiff 25 support having the form ofthe hat desired, and uniting the internal surface of the shell to the external surface of the support, substantially as set forth.

3. The method herein described of making hats, which consists in molding astiffsupport into the form of hat desired, pouring a heated composition into a mold furnished with the ornamentation to be imparted to the exterior of the hat, cooling the composition, and forming a thin flexible shell, drawing such shell over the molded support, and cementing the shell and support together, substantially as set forth.

Intestimony whereof I have hereunto set 40 

